dakotajim

I just set up a 29gal tank for Platies and Swords. I went to the Sioux Falls Petsmart to get some Twin Bar platies as they are the only ones to carry them. I asked for a male and two females and tried to watch the clerk as she netted them. Needless to say she gave me two males and a very pregnant female that died a couple of days later. I returned the dead fish and got a new female that is acting very shy. The male are not fighting, and I watch them when I am home and have not seen her being pestered. I am sure she is getting harrassed as she seems healthy. I also have some black swords from a local pet shop in the tank, a male and two females there. My question is, I am going to add one more coler of platy to the tank, and try for 3 females in the red wag or some coler orange, unless anyone knows of a coler that mixes well with the Twin Bar. Also I realize I may end up with some sword and platy cross. Just looking for some other opinions.

MissMTS

It sounds like a nice tank Are you planning on breeding them and keeping the fry? Its not a big deal if they cross if you aren't planning to keep/sell the fry, but if you are, I would go with only platies or only swordtails.

dakotajim

I just like to see the babies. I will have some pures, and some maybe be able to find some takers on the other fish. We only have one pet store left in town, so I am not sure if they take fish. I asume Petco and Petsmart do not. A town of close to 200,000 people, over that with the subs, you would think we would have more shops. If we buy a bigger home and I can keep more tanks, I will go with platy and sword only tanks. Just having fun with them now.

MissMTS

Sounds like a good plan to me then Just so you know, a LFS won't take any hybrid fish, so if your platies and swords cross you should probably let the fish eat the fry unless you are wanting to set up another tank for the youngsters

dakotajim

I am not really looking trade or sell any fish. If I need to thin the tank out, I will find a place to go with the fish I need to get rid of. I know the LFS used to buy and trade with comstomers, but I had not been there in a long time since I found other stores I liked better that have now closed, and I moved away for awhile to. It is a good store, but lacks in the livebearer area.

dakotajim

The last female platy died yesterday. The two males are fine, and the swords are fine. Wednesday is when Petsmart gets new fish, I may get some females there, or try Petco, not quite sure yet.

Jonah

Hi Jim,

I really would not add any more fish at the moment, If you have fish dying in your tank, something is wrong!.

Looking at your info you have just set the tank up.

Your tank will not have finished cycling yet, please read about the nitrogen cycle go to the sites main page www.fishlore.com and read the beginners guides there is a lot of information there that you really need to know.

dakotajim

Most of my fish are fine, I have had the tank set up for awhile and I have am not new to the fish thing. I am just going to look today at fish, only will buy if there is somthing there that trips my trigger. I get very picky about the fish that I buy and have been very brutally honest with clerks when I feel their fish look bad. With only the females having problems, and the 2:1 ratio, I will only purchase females when I can find a store with at least 4 quality females for me to buy, and I will be looking over their shoulder much more closely than I did before. It is just so hard to find quality livebearers anymore. When I was first getting started that is all you could find.

Jonah

Apologies, I didnt read closely enough, pity you werent local I breed Blue MM Plattys, Mollies and Guppies

dakotajim

No apologies needed, I could use a good local. We used to have more, but when Petsmart and Petco came in, they all left and took the best quality fish with them. Thanks for the posts.